The development of PC-based highly model-mixed engine dispatching systems

This paper aims to propose the design and implementation of a real-time model-mixed engine dispatching system. The proposed engine dispatching system (EDS) is applied to the engine plant of Ford Lio-Ho Motor Company. The production system of Ford Lio-Ho Engine Plant (FLHEP) is a highly model-mixed production system. It attempts to achieve the goals of more flexibility, higher efficiency, lower cost and less shop floor space. In order to handle such a model-mixed production system, an efficient real-time dispatcher, EDS, is required. The EDS is a client-server configuration. The EDS server handles the real-time engine dispatching, operator's loading balance, integrating distributed data and security control. Besides, the EDS server provides the performance measure, graphical user interface, user's classification, production information and dispatching information. On the other hand, the EDS server broadcasts the information to all EDS clients. In this manner, the production information can be synchronized and the engines can be assembled in parallel in FLHEP. The objectives of EDS are to eliminate the bottlenecks of the original system, balance operator's loading, improve product's quality, integrate distributed production data and provide efficient dispatching rules. Since the proposed EDS is constructed by using the modular design and object-oriented approach, it is easy to integrate, extend, test and debug.